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Budapest

This year we paired up with Cityrama to offer exclusive offers to our runners, check out your options:

Exlcusive City Tour

City Tour in English Exclusively for the Participants of Telekom Vivicitta Spring Half Marathon

Overview:

Discover all the most important sights in Budapest with your tour guide during a 3-hour city tour. Let us show you the main attractions on both sides of the River Danube. Walk around the Castle District, enjoy the view from the Citadel and see the top attractions of Pest.

Tour description:

We start the tour from the Chain Bridge, pass by the Parliament and take the Margaret Bridge to drive over to the Buda side. We stop in the Castle District and during a short walk we show you the main attractions of the area. We walk to the Matthias Church and the Fishermen’s Bastion (from where you can enjoy the beautiful panorama).

Next, we drive to the Gellért Hill (Citadel) and show you the most spectacular view of Budapest. Afterwards, we take you over the Elisabeth Bridge to Pest and show you the famous Central Market Hall and the largest Synagogue of Europe, afterwards we drive to the City Park. We pass by the famous Széchenyi Thermal Bath, the Budapest Zoo, then stop at the Heroes’ Square (with statues of the most famous Hungarian kings and dukes).

We take the Andrássy Avenue back to downtown Pest, while passing by the Opera House and St Stephen’s Basilica. During the tour, we offer a brief overview of the last 1000 years of Hungarian history.

The tour ends in the city centre.

Date:

April 14. Saturday

Normal price:

25 EUR

Special price for the participants of Telekom Vivicitta Spring Half Marathon:

Airport Transfer

Our driver will wait for you in the arrival hall of the airport with a sign showing your name. Maximum waiting time is one hour after the arrival of the plane.

Departure transfer:

We pick you up at the hotel lobby. If you stay in a private apartment, please await our driver in front of the building. Pick up time is always 3 hours before flight departure.

Price:

45 EUR /minivan (1-8 pax)

Booking:

Please write an email to [email protected] with the following details: name and number of participants, pick up place, pick up time, drop off place, flight number. Mention that you are signing up for the Vivicitta offer. You will have to prove that you are a runner by showing your registration confirmation letter upon pick-up.

Please note that the number of available bicycles is limited. CITYRAMA opening hours: Mon-Sat: 8.00-18.00 Sun: 8.00-15.00

General Information about Budapest:

Highlights

What is Budapest like?

This city has always attached great importance to attractive appearance, so it appears hospitable and friendly right at first sight. In a single glimpse the visitor can appreciate the famous panorama, part of the World Heritage, with Parliament, the imposing Royal Castle, the Fishermen’s Bastion, the impressive Danube Embankment in the heart of the city and the splendid bridges spanning the Danube. On ordinary workdays the city shows another face. While your are getting ready for the marathon run or set out to explore Buda, Pest is opening its shutters and the pedestrian streets are beginning to bustle with life in the morning. Many people say that Budapest is a city whose most striking feature is the charm of the buildings, and at the same time this is a real city of culture as a truly European city.

What to see?

There are a lot of things to see and do in Budapest all year around. You will be able to see the World Heritage panorama during the race and you can visit the famous sights after the run. Don’t miss the: Parliament, Royal Castle, Fishermen’s Bastion, Danube Embankment, Chain Bridge, Opera House etc. It is always sparkling, especially when illuminated in the evenings. (Special illumination only until midnight)

Former Franz Joseph Bridge, now Szabadság híd(means freedom) is often part of the running course:

Baths

Budapest is the only capital city in the world that is rich in thermal waters with healing qualities. Thanks to a unique geological feature, Budapest ‘sits’ on over 100 thermal springs that feed the city’s famous bathhouses. Budapest is also one of the few places where you can experience traditional Turkish baths dating back to 16th and 17th centuries. There is nothing to compare to the feeling having a healing bath after your long run. Come and experience it!

SZÉCHENYI BATH
One of the largest bathing complexes in Europe,the premier medical bath of Pest- Its thermal springs were discovered in 1879; they are the deepest and hottest ( 74 – 75 C. ) thermal wells in the capital. The neo – Baroque baths were built in 1913, the swimming pool in 1927. The open – air sections with their pleasantly warm waters are equally popular in winter.

RUDAS BATH
The centrepiece of the bath today, the Turkish bath, was built in 1550 in the period of the Turkish occupation of Hungary. Some of the Turkish-period features are still used today: the octagonal pool, the four small corner pools,each with water of a different temperature, and the characteristic Turkish dome. In its drinking hall, the water of the springs Hungária, Attila and Juventus can be consumed for the purposes of a drinking cure. Rudas is open at night every

GELLÉRT BATH
One of most popular baths for tourists visiting Budapest. The medical spring here was already famed in the 13th century. The Gellért Thermal Bath and Hotel, was built in a secession style, opened its gates in 1918 and was expanded in 1927 by the wave-bath and in 1934 by the effervescent bath. The spa is decorated with a wealth of original Art Nouveau furnishings,
artistic mosaics, stained glass windows and sculptures.

KIRÁLY BATH
The construction of this Bath was begun by Arslan, the Pasha of Buda in 1565 . Following the reoccupation of Buda from the Turks, the Bath was acquired in 1796 by the König family. They rebuilt it to its current form, combining the old with the new, and preserving its monumental character, found even in the name of the Bath. Stemming from the name of the family, it
translates from Hungarian (Király=King=König).

LUKÁCS BATH
In the 12th century, knights of the order of Saint John engaging in curing the sick settled in the area of today’s Lukács Bath, and built their monasteries baths as well. In the 19th and 20th century people wishing to be healed came here
from all over the world. Following their successful healing cure, they placed marble tablets on the wall of the Bath’s courtyard to express their gratitude. Lukács was renewed in 2012, and now it’s a classical, but also international quality spa with swimming pool, fun-pool, medical thermal pool and weight-bath. There are also salt wall, sauna, Kneipp pool and lounge.

Ruin Pubs

Unique entertaining possibilities are Budapest’s ruin pubs. Located in the city centre, this new function saved countless old, run down building from demolition. Their atmosphere is unusual, their style is retro and they revive socialist realist interior design. You can find more on them here.

Getting here & around

Airport: Ferihegy 2 Airport is 24 km east of the city center. The airport’s official taxi or minibus partner can take you to anywhere in the city or pick you up on your way back. Additionally, you may take bus 200E and switch to Metro line 3 to get to the city center. More info here.

Public transportation: Budapest operates four underground lines, blue local buses, yellow trams and red trolley buses. Public transportation generally starts at 4.30 a.m. and runs until 11.30 p.m. You can buy one day, three day and weekly passes. The “Budapest card” is available in the ticket offices and tourist offices. More information: http://www.bkk.hu/en